Gas-engine



C. W. BALDWIN.

GAS ENGINE.

(No Model.)

UNITED STATns PATnNT @risica CYRUS YV. BALDWIN, OF YONKEBS, NEWT YORK, ASSIGNOR TO XVILLIAM E. HALE, OFCHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GAS-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 325,380, dated September 1, 1885.

Application filed Jute 4, 1835.

T0 all ttf/wm, t may concern:

Be it known that I, Grans XV. BALDWIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Yonkers, in the county of VeStchester and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in preventing the iianic from passing back from the cylinder of a gas-engine to the reservoir by introducing a body of air between the spent gases in the cylinder and the explosive mixture in the reservoir, the said charge serving further to displace the spent gases around the ignitor and insure the ignition of the charges.

In the drawing the figure shows in longitudinal section one construction of gasengine I which maybe used in carrying out my invention.

In the engine shown in the drawing the cyli inder A is provided with the usual piston, B, and is closed at the opposite ends, and has exhaust-ports y, which are uncovered as the piston approaches the forward end of the cylinder, andare opened either by the pistou as it uncovers them, or by a valve in the exhaustpipe operated in any suitable ina-nner. The piston opens and closes the ports, and is provided with a guard, f, 'which covers the ports after the piston passes the same during its backward movement, and which when the piston is forward extends into a suitable casing, g, supported by the forward head of the cylinder, as set forth in the Letters Patent granted to me November 6, 1883, No. 287,897 ,whereby the piston and forward end of the cylinder are made to serve as a pump to store a certain amount of mixture in a reservoir. in a particular manner,which will be hereinafter fully set forth. rIhe explosion takes place when the piston is at or near the limit of its rearward motion, and the piston moves forward under the expansion of the gases and across the escape-ports,which are then opened, permitting a greater portion of the waste gases to pass to the exhaust. The new charge is admitted while the exhaust is open, the admission at this time being made with the view partly of facilitating the expulsion of the waste gases and partly of reducing the power required to inject the new charge. The mixturaflowing in (No model.)

In the construction of engine illustrated in the drawing the chargereservoir consists of a chamber, X, contained in three different receptacles-that is, ina hollow casing, A2, forming part of the main cylinder, in a casing, H, and in a tube, Il', connecting the casing H with the casing A2. The air and gas are drawn into the reservoir through a pipe, S, which may be provided with a check-valve (not shown) to close against back pressure, or otherwise, as the piston moves backward in the direction ofthe arrow, and are forced from the cylinder A through a channel, 8, and compressed in the reservoir on the forward mot-ion of the piston, and the mixture Hows from the reservoir through a port, m, covered by a checkvalve, I,when the pressure in the powercylinder is reduced upon the opening of the exhaust-port, the check-valve I lifting automatically whenever the pressure within the power-cylinder is less than that within the reservoir X. The stem K of the valve I extends downward through a packed opening, and is encircled by a spring, Il, in a tubular ease, g, and confined between a nut, n, upon the stem and a suitable bearing, whereby such a tension may be imparted to the spring as to permit the lifting of the valve I at the moment when the relative pressures in the reservoir and power-cylinder are such` as to insure the proper delivery of the charge, asin the engine shown in my application, Serial No. 161,041.

It is common in gas-engines to nterpose between the power-cylinder and the reservoir layers of wire-gauze or other inateriahwith the view of preventing the back passage of flame to the reservoir. This is not always effective and interferes with the free flow of the charge to the power-cylinder. I have discovered that by ad mittiug a small volume of fresh air into fJi IOO

the passage through which the charge must ow from the reservoir to the power-cylinder in such manner that the fresh-air charge shall travel ahead of the gas-charge the passage of iame backward to the said gas-charge is not only eftectually prevented, but the passage is kept clear of spent gases, so as to prevent the new charge from being diluted by such gases, especiallyin proximity to the ignitor, thereby insuring certainty in the explosions, while, if there should be any burning gases in the passages w i, the fresh air will extinguish the same before the explosive mixture is brought in contact therewith.

One mode of securing theintroduction of the limited layer, volume, or body of fresh air is illustrated in the igure, in which is shown a casing, V, provided with an inlet-valve, 3, and communicating through a tube, 14, withv the gas passage at the end of the reservoir just below the Valve I. The stem of the valve 3 is provided with a nut, 5, and spring 4, whereby a spring-pressure may be applied to the valve, which pressure is so regulated as to permit the valve to lift easily when the piston B moves back, creating a partial vacuum in the reservoir,when a current of air will iow for a moment into the passage or space below the Valve I, and when the valve lilts will be carried ahead ofthe charge through the channel w and port l@with the result before described. It will be apparent that the valve 3 may be lifted positively or automatically, as may also the valve I, with the same et't'ect in either case, a: before described, and in some instances the air may be injected into the channel through aport or opening, G, above the valve I, by means of a pump, or in any suitable way.

I do not here claim the devices for carrying out my invention, as the same constitute the, subject of a separate application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 161,041; nor do I limit myself to the use of said devices, as many means will suggest themselves to those skilledin the art for introducing the partition of fresh air between the power-charge and the explosive mixture in the reservoir.

I claiml. The mode described of preventing the ignition of an explosive mixture within a chamber or reservoir communicating with the power cylinder of a gas-engine, the same consisting in admitting a limited volume of air between the spent gases retained in the powercylinder and each new charge 'drawn from the reservoir, substantially as described.

2. The method of operating a gas-engine, which consists in interposing a stratum or layer of air between the spent gases retained in the power-cylinder and each successive charge, substantially as described.

3. The method of operating a gas-engine, which consists in admitting a. limited supply of air to the induction-passage of the power cylinder in advance of each successiver charge ot' explosive mixture,whereby a non-combustible fluid-body is interposed between the gases retained in the cylinder and the gaseous mixture in the reservoir, substantially as described.

4. The method ot' operating a gas-engine, which consists in drawing alimited supply of air into a reservoir containing agaseous mixture and admitting said air to the power-cylinder between t-he spent gases retained therein and the working charge drawn from the reser'voir, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specitication in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CYRUS W. BALDWIN.

Witnesses:

M. S. KnYEs, S. T. KELLoGG. 

